Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Grey Bruce Branch and the Owen Sound Police Service (OSPS) have partnered on a new initiative that will provide better response and care for people experiencing a mental health crisis in Owen Sound.
Launched Tuesday, the Mobile Mental Health and Addiction Response Team (MMHART) is a new mobile crisis intervention program that will consist of CMHA mental health workers embedded with the police. Under this new program, a mental health professional will accompany plain-clothed police officers on mental health calls for service, and can help police de-escalate situations, determine whether there’s a need to apprehend someone under the Mental Health Act or divert an individual to community-based mental health supports.
CMHA Grey Bruce CEO Clark MacFarlane said that through MMHART, the CMHA worker will be able to assess the individual right on scene, offer assistance to the individual and family members, provide referrals, and even accompany the individual to the hospital if necessary.
The number of mental health calls for service to the dispatch of the Owen Sound Police Services has increased dramatically in the past year. In the first six months of 2019 there were over 480 such calls, more than double 2018 numbers.
Chief Craig Ambrose said this new partnership will help the police get ahead of the situation.
The mental health workers will work a variety of shifts, based on current call patterns, and the CMHA's existing Urgent Response Team will continue to respond to calls from the police, hospital and EMS during the other shifts. With the CMHA staff working in the Police Services offices, Ambrose expects to see the stigma of mental health issues reduced, and says his own officers will have a resource right on site should they need it themselves.
The MMHART will be a reallocation of resources at CMHA, and a redeployment of officers at OSPS. In addition to helping people in crisis find the right supports in a timely manner, having mental health workers alongside police will lead to fewer emergency room visits. This will free up hospital resources as well as officers’ time, since officers are required to remain with an individual apprehended under the Mental Health Act until transfer of custody to the hospital occurs. Chief Ambrose said, “From a police perspective, there should always be a better option to apprehension. This service will provide a healthier experience for individuals in crisis and their families, and downstream will reduce costs for both enforcement and health care.”
For more information, visit www.cmhagb.org.
source: media release
